


Domestic

by haldoor



Series: Overthinking [23]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Domestication, M/M, Romance, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-22
Updated: 2012-06-22
Packaged: 2017-11-08 07:22:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/440643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haldoor/pseuds/haldoor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Warnings/Spoilers:</b> None for the show<br/><b>Disclaimer:</b> As I keep saying,  I have no ownership rights and I make no money!<br/><b>Beta:</b> Once again it's under 2.5K so I'm going with what I have; please feel free to point out any mistakes.<br/><b>Summary:</b> Steve wonders if it's too soon to suggest Danny moves in with him.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	Domestic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kaige68](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaige68/gifts).



> This is the 23rd chapter of the **Overthinking** series, and starts about a week after the last one. [](http://kaige68.livejournal.com/profile)[**kaige68**](http://kaige68.livejournal.com/), it's always for you! *more kisses*

It's the end of another weekend where Danny and Grace have stayed over at Steve's. Danny's just come back from returning Grace to her mother, and he looks like he needs a hug. After the last time, Steve can't help but wonder if Rachel's said something to him again, but he's almost afraid to ask.

They've had their ups and downs, but so far they've made it through the rough spots – mainly incurred through Rachel putting those worrisome thoughts in Danny's head – and things are looking better since Steve told Danny where he stood after the dinner at the Edwards' last week. The sex that night had been incredible – exactly what Steve had been wanting for some time, but hadn't been willing to ask for – and since then Danny has spent every night at Steve's and they've recreated the experience at every opportunity.

Steve smiles thinking about it; about how much has changed for both of them in such a short time, then frowns as he catches sight of Danny's expression again. Danny's standing, looking inside the fridge like he can't see the beer right in front of his face. Steve tilts his head from where's standing at the bookshelf about to reach for the manual for the Marquis, and then wanders towards him.

"Hey, babe," he asks, coming up behind Danny and hesitating for a second before wrapping his arms around him from behind. "You okay?"

Danny's warm hands slide over Steve's where they're encircling him and Steve starts to pull away, thinking he's done the wrong thing – this comfort thing isn't easy for him to judge, but he'd thought maybe he was starting to get it – but Danny smiles over his shoulder at Steve and stops him from letting go with a firm grip on both hands.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just thinking about that stupid apartment and how much nicer it's been to have Grace over here at your place. I really should start looking for something better."

Steve's heart speeds up at the thought of Danny finding a place he likes enough that he won't be at Steve's so often, especially if there's a room especially for Grace there.

Danny turns in his arms and puts his hands around Steve's neck. "Maybe you could help me look this week?"

Steve licks his lips, his eyes wandering as he tries to work out whether it's too soon to ask Danny to move in here. He's already been here most of this week, and the rent on his apartment is just going to waste.

"What?" Danny says, leaning back – though he hasn't left Steve's arms yet. "You don't want to help?"

"No, it's not that," Steve tells him, "Just... maybe you could..." He waggles his head nervously. "You're here a lot anyway..."

Danny narrows his eyes, looking doubtful, sliding his hands off Steve and moving away as Steve lets go of him. "What are you saying here, babe?"

Steve knows he shouldn't be such a big chicken, but he can't help himself. He goes to the sink, picks up the glass he used earlier and starts filling it with water. It's way easier when he's not looking at Danny. "I'd have to ask Mary, anyway. I mean, the house is still half hers."

"Steve?" Danny's voice sounds hopeful.

Steve turns and glances back at him, and then lifts the glass to his lips. He doesn't really need the water, but it's a useful distraction and stops him from stuttering like a twelve year old. He takes a sip, swallowing carefully so he doesn't choke before he gets up the nerve. He lowers the glass, looking at it rather than at Danny.

"Why don't you just move in here?" he finally gets out, and swallows his fear before raising his eyes to meet Danny's.

Danny's grinning. "Was that really so hard?"

"Is that... yes?" Steve still can't quite believe it's that easy.

"No, it means I'll be moving as far from here across the island as I possibly can." The sarcasm breaks the tension perfectly. "Of course it's a yes, you idiot."

Steve's grin couldn't be wider. He dumps the glass and reaches for Danny, drawing him close with a hand around his neck, and kissing him hard.

"Eww," Danny complains, pulling away and wiping his hand across his neck where Steve touched. "Cold, wet hand. What is that? If it's what I'll get every time you have a glass of water, perhaps I won't move in."

Steve leans back against the counter and crosses his arms, grinning crookedly. He knows it's just Danny's way of easing any discomfort Steve might have over the emotional stuff. "You know you love it."

"I love _you_ ," Danny replies, his eyes crinkling as he smirks back.

Steve's grin widens further. Maybe the emotional stuff isn't so hard after all.

"I love you."

~//~

"Yes, Rachel, she will have her own room... No, she will not be... Okay, fine, if this is where we're going again, I'm hanging up now. Hanging. Up. _Now_."

Danny listens for another moment, and then cuts off the call, smiling angrily at Steve. "Can you believe her?"

"She doesn't want Grace staying here?" Steve guesses, lowering his eyes and slumping back on the couch where he's been watching Danny pace from one end of the living room to the other and back as he talks to Rachel about moving in with Steve.

"She didn't say no; but the number of conditions just gets longer. I have no idea what her problem is."

Steve bites his lip and wonders if he should say anything. Calling her Danny's 'crazy ex-wife' last week is as far as he's been prepared to go, and then only once.

Danny comes over and sits next to him, patting Steve's thigh and leaving his hand there. He looks at Steve's face and frowns. "What?"

"No, nothing." Steve denies he has anything to say, sure it'll only cause more problems if he suggests what occurred to him in the car on the way home from the dinner last week; the thing he'd been going to say when Danny got so much exercise by jumping to conclusions.

"C'mon," Danny says, squeezing his thigh. He tilts an eyebrow questioningly. "There's that face."

"What face?"

"Babe," Danny sighs, "You have some kind of theory on why she keeps bugging me over all this."

Steve looks away, screwing up his face. "I'm not sure you want to hear this."

Danny takes his hand off Steve, and holds it and the other out wide, making a 'gimme' motion. "Give it to me. I can take it."

"I just… I wonder if she's… maybe… it's that she… well, and it's understandable…"

"Spit it out, Steven."

"Maybe… she's wishing she didn't let you go. You know, the second time. Maybe she's still a little bit in love with you." Steve glances at Danny nervously, worried at the look he's receiving.

"Are you serious?"

Steve frowns. "It explains a lot. I get that finding out you're bisexual weirded her out, and that explains some of it, but… she's a modern woman and I never thought she was homophobic. But… you being with someone else… it's bound to bring out feelings. Especially now, with you moving in here."

Danny frowns too, nodding his head as he considers this. "You know, I never thought…" He puts a hand to his mouth and huffs.

As Danny has taken this better than he thought he might, Steve takes the opportunity to say more. "It was what I was wondering when you cut me off in the car, you know," he murmurs, not wanting to rub it in too harshly.

Narrowing his eyes, Danny turns his head to look at Steve in surprise. " _That's_ what you were going to say? Jesus, Steve, why didn't you shut me up? I'm so sorry for-"

"It's okay," Steve cuts him off before things get too weird. Danny's apologized enough, as far as he's concerned.

Danny grins at him suddenly and Steve can't help smiling back. "It makes sense, babe. After all, what's not to love about me?"

Then they're both laughing, and Steve pulls Danny close enough to kiss him. "So what were the new conditions?"

~//~

It's later and they're lying in bed after another bout of incredible sex. Steve still moves away from Danny afterwards unless Danny holds him there; he supposes he's just too used to sleeping alone.

"You know you don't have to do that," Danny says as Steve reaches to turn off the light.

"What? Turn off the light? You wanna sleep with it on? I thought you were past the night-light thing," he teases, uncertain what it is Danny's talking about.

"Idiot," Danny says affectionately, grinning at him. "Turn it off if it makes it easier."

"Easier for what?" Steve's still lost, but he turns off the light and settles back in the bedding, turning on his side to face Danny and studying his outline in the darkness.

"To talk," Danny replies, "or, for that matter, to touch me."

"Touch you? I touch you all the time. What we just did; if that doesn't qualify as touching, then there must be some new definition of touching I wasn't aware of." Steve realizes he's just being obtuse now; he knows exactly what Danny means.

"You are getting better," Danny goes on as if Steve hadn't spoken, lifting a hand to stroke it down Steve's arm. The touch makes Steve shiver, but in a good way. "Last night, you even stuck around for... oh, a half hour?"

"I don't leave the bed, Danny."

"I know that, babe, but there's something... distant about you moving away every time we finish making love, you know? I'm not saying we have to sleep like octopi tangled together all night long, but a little... togetherness... can't be all bad, can it?"

"I'm sorry. I'm not used to it, that's all. It still seems kinda weird to cuddle after having sex with my best friend. Who knew you were such a snuggler?" He hopes the teasing tone in his voice comes across, but he knows he needs to make more of an effort. "You really want it, huh? C'mere." He rolls onto his back, slightly closer, and lifts an arm, inviting Danny in.

Even in the darkness, he can see Danny's smile as he moves into the open arms and rests his head on Steve's chest. "Way better, babe," he murmurs into Steve's skin.

He's right; it is better.

"She's never getting you back, you know," Steve says as Danny's warmth spreads through him. He closes his eyes and breathes deeply. "You're mine now. Only mine."

"And Grace's," Danny mumbles, close to sleep.

Steve's smile quirks up a corner of his mouth. "Yeah. And Grace's."

~//~

"And Mary says it's all yours from here on in, sweetheart," Steve's telling Grace as she unpacks some things from her back-pack in her 'new' bedroom a couple of weeks later. "She'll only be visiting mostly from now on, and as long as you don't mind, she can sleep in here when you're not."

Grace looks happy as she turns to look at Steve. "Thank you Uncle Steve," she tells him and dumps her bag to come give him a hug.

He closes his eyes and breathes in the fresh smell of her hair as he crouches to embrace her properly. "You're welcome, Gracie."

She pulls back to look at him. "Mary's coming for the luau, right? Can I thank her then?"

"Oh yeah." Steve nods as he straightens up. "She says she wouldn't miss it for the world. Of course you can thank her then. Maybe we'll even have the room redecorated by then. Any color you like."

Grace beams at him and wanders over to Mary's bookshelf. A lot of her old children's books are still there, and Steve leans against the doorjamb with his arms crossed, watching Grace run her fingers along them.

"You should hug Danno more," Grace says out of nowhere.

The non sequitur throws Steve for a moment. "You don't think I hug him enough?"

Grace looks over her shoulder at him and shakes her head. "He loves hugs and you're really good at them."

"I am?" Steve asks, his smile widening. It's strange how much he loves this kid, but she's really something else.

She turns properly and nods. "You are! Danno's good at them too. Remember the hug I gave you last week before dinner?"

"How could I forget?" Steve walks across the room and sits on the bed, picking up her plushie and putting it on the pillow. "It was one of the best ever."

"Danno gives hugs like that too," Grace tells him as she comes to sit next to him. "He taught me." She pauses a moment, biting her lip like she's thinking how to say whatever it is she has in her head now. Steve gives her the space to work on it and says nothing, although he smiles at her reassuringly.

"I know you love him, and he loves you," she gets out eventually, brows creased thoughtfully, "but you never hug each other when I'm here. You should."

Steve frowns, thinking about the times he's spent with the both of them recently, and realizes she's right; the only time she's seen them embrace was when she came downstairs and caught them kissing that first night she stayed over.

But she has more to say, and before Steve can answer she adds quietly, "You shouldn't listen to Mommy. I like seeing you hug and kiss. It's... it's _beautiful_." She bites her lip again, her face slightly flushed.

Steve nods, his own face heating up. He can't get a word out past the lump in his throat. She really is _amazing_. No wonder Danny's so fiercely protective of her; and Rachel too.

He opens his arms to her and Grace throws herself into them. Both hold on tightly. "Thank you," he murmurs, and kisses her hair. "I'll try to hug him more from now on."

"He'd like that," Danny says from the doorway, startling both of them.

"Danno!" Grace jumps up and rushes to hug her father. Danny's eyes crinkle as he smiles at Steve over her head.

Steve smiles back warmly and stands up, stepping slowly across to the pair. "Group hug?" he asks, tilting his eyebrow in uncertainty.

"You betcha," Danny replies, and he and Grace pull Steve into the embrace.

It's the best hug ever, and Steve doesn't think he's ever been loved more. He kisses Grace's hair and then Danny's lips. Grace giggles and escapes from between them, going back to the bed to pick up her plushie. She grins as Steve wraps his arms back around Danny and winks at her over her father's shoulder.

"Beautiful," she tells him, giving him a thumbs up.

Screw Rachel and her conditions; _this_ is what it should be about.

~//~

**Author's Note:**

> This series is winding up shortly; I'm planning on finishing at the luau Kamekona suggested back in [Partners in Crime](http://archiveofourown.org/works/431755), although I may revisit the 'verse again some time in the future if the muses strike. Once again, thanks to everyone who has been reading, and especially to those leaving kudos and comments! You've made it all so much more fun!


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